A Reason For Everything
by maop
Summary: When waking up in the middle of no where, it would be a fair assuption to believe you're at least still on Earth. Darn it. Thus begins Alyanne's long journey through Tellius. Hopefully she's not a bother! OC
1. Chapter 1

And so, my first fanfiction in forever! And I'm trying a new style, so bear with me and the likely occurrence of verb-tense agreement problems. Haha. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the related characters, settings, etc. This disclaimer applies to all future chapters of this fiction! I only own original characters.

Chapter 1

My face is in dirt...Why.

Moaning, I groggily push myself into a sitting position. Rubbing my weary eyes, I take in my surroundings.

Now, where the heck am I?

Well, a small forest of sorts, with many trees. Or maybe just a small grove, as it looks like there's an open plain over there. It's not cold, but not baking, so I guess it's spring?

Which makes absolutely no sense, since I was just trudging through half a foot of snow recently. So obviously I'm not in Canada anymore...

This is not good.

Sudden anxiety jump-starts my brain. So what do we know? One, we're not in Canada anymore. Two, we're in a forest, probably in a temperate climate considering the lack of conifers and all their deciduous trees. Three, we have NO IDEA WHERE WE ARE.

And I just referred to myself as we. Probably due to my naturally conflicting nature that produces multiple voices to argue different sides of every argument, my mind thinks of itself as a group. I'm not bipolar. Nor am I indecisive. In fact, being able to present to myself the opposing argument greatly helps me to produce a stronger counter-argument. It's very useful when preparing for a debate. As well, it's not as if I sit on the fence with all issues. I attempt to see both sides of the argument. It doesn't happen very often though, this "we" reference-

NOT RELATED. RETURN TO TOPIC AT HAND.

Okay, so back to figuring out where I am. How long have I been sitting here, anyways? I really have no sense of time.

Standing up, I shake my legs, one by one. Why exactly do one's legs fall asleep? To my knowledge, it is because when you apply pressure on the body part for a prolonged period of time, the nerves in the area are compressed, hindering their ability to carry signals between the body part and brain. Therefore, you getting a "tingling" sensation for your brain does not know the exact status of your body part, and it is difficult to move the part for the same reason.

...and focus.

Once my feet begin to feel normal again, I take another cursory look around. Still only trees...some small shrubbery...maybe I'll head off towards that plane...

A spot of orange catches my eye. Focusing my gaze, I realize it's some sort of cloth. Probably someone's scarf or something, but I start towards it. In all likelihood, this is probably a dream, as there's no way I would be in some wooded area free of chilling winds and snow in the middle of a CANADIAN winter. I mean, it not frozen all the time, we do get BOILING hot summers, especially in Toronto, but-

Fabric brushes my leg through my pants.

Whirling around, I see no one. I scan the ground and...

There's a circle of cloth around my legs?

Checking myself, I'm dumbfounded. I'm wearing a cloak. Forest green, slightly darker than...oh let's say the FE7 tactician's cloak. Underneath, someone has donned me with a simple set of black leather riding boots, pale blue pants, and...dress? It's blue, reaching my knees, trimmed with gold strips. It also has two parallel cuts running down the outside of each leg from end to ¾ up the thigh about, but since I'm wearing pants it doesn't reveal anything. Not that it really matters, but it's cold to have a lot of exposed skin.

So someone must have stripped me to put me in this attire...I must check my virginity at some point in the near future. If it's been taken, then get tested for STIs and drugs. Hate to have contracted something viral. Oh wait, isn't this a dream?

Pinches self.

Pain.

I guess not.

THIS IS NOT GOOD.

...

Aaaaand back calm mode. Before determining circumstances, must find a safe location. The plain leaves me open to snipers, so best to stay in the forest.

The cloth!

Glancing around, I re-locate the orange cloth and begin again towards it. Gosh, how long has it been since I've awoken? As I walk, I feel around my left wrist. Darn, they've taken my watch too. Black hairs interrupt my vision. My hair tie is gone to. Argh. Shrubs. I'm probably going to trip and fly face-first into a tree. I struggle through another bush, feeling its branches prod me, but not tearing through my new pants. Is it me, or is that bush there sparkling?

One last hurdle of small shrubs and-

I stop dead. Upon reaching my target, I set my eyes on a young green-haired woman, clad in a layered dress of pale and deep orange. Clearly unconscious, her hair is askew, and the heel of her orange left shoe is broken.

It's without a doubt this is Princess Elincia Ridell Crimea, secret child of King Ramon and sole heiress to the throne.

Therefore, I must be in Tellius.

...

Oh dear. What have you gotten yourself into, Alyanne? Let the shock hit...

Repost: OH MY GOSH I'M SUCH A TERRIBLE PERSON.

After posting this, I felt a bit uneasy, like something was familiar. So I searched up a couple of my favourite fanfiction and discovered that I had started my story at the exact same place as one of my favourite fanfics!

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

So, I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO foxwolfJackson, BECAUSE I'M TERRIBLE. But I've already planned out quite a bit of my story, and after re-reading the first couple chapters this is going to be rather different than yours. Heh.

But once again, I'M SO INCREDIBLE SORRY! Ah maop...


	2. Chapter 2

...now.

WAAAAAAAAAHHH.

Okay, mental scream of pure terror complete. Let's see. What to do, what to do! Since Elincia's here, the battle should be commence shortly in that plain behind. Roadside Battle. I'm so nerdy. The Mercenaries will fight some idiot Daeins, then find Elincia here. And therefore me. Wait. What if the Daeins find me first? I'm HERE! Could my presence have already thrown the world from its original path? I can't even fight! Is there anything...?

I find a green book in an inner pocket of my cloak. Opening to the first page, it reads, "_Rudimentary Wind Spells & Basic Tutorials_."

Great. If I have time...

I hear the clang of metal ring from the direction I came. Damn. No time.

The battle would probably take...10 minutes? How long do such encounters take?

Let's be pessimistic. 5 minutes. Okay. What do we need?

Cover story? Who am I? Obvious can't say, "Oh, I'm a randomly transported person from another world in which in it your world's story has been transcribed in a game." Let's see...

I can't lie well, therefore must tell as close to truth as possible.

I have no siblings. My mother's a nurse practitioner, but has a passion for herbal remedies and taught them to me. Translate to herbalist. Name Ellen. Father, Gregor, businessman. Here, merchant. Who is covered.

What? Later. Where? Came from the Capital, escaping invasion. When. NOW, obviously. Who, what, where, when...Why? Ummm...Ah! Traveling merchant father, yes. Came to Melior for trade. Route runs between Crimea and Begnion. After attack, tried to escape with goods. Was stopped by Daein. They made to seize the goods and us, but Dad decked a soldier and told us to run. Mom was caught quickly, but I got away and ran, and ran, and ran...To here. Stumbled over Princess, and stopped when sounds of battle were heard!

Done! The battle seems to be progressing. From behind, they are moving closer, but I still don't see people through the trees. Considering the map, and yes, I remember specific maps of Fire Emblem Path of Radiance so sue me, I'm probably "south" bottom half of the map. No need to come here yet. The trees would hinder combatants.

Now, to prepare for their arrival. I'm should be scared, terrified. I'm pretty excitable as it is, so I'll be realistically jumpy. Relief, then suspicion...

WAIT. Hole. If I travel back and forth between Crimea and Begnion, how can I explain my lack of knowledge in both countries?

...

...

Ah! The clashes grow fewer. The conflict has nearly ended. What to do!

Sheltered. Gah, it's weak, but I'll work with it. Dad didn't like me getting too exposed, thinking I might get bad influences. Learnt much from tutor. Maggie(1)! Ehe. It will explain my good speech as well. Not that it's obvious in my mind. Waaaaah.

Will cover most things. Only solitary clangs now. One-on-one with Boss?

Okay, need to prepare reaction. Can't act, so what's real now?

Freaked out: Check. Scared out of mind can be covered by that. And jumpy is checked too. Let's see. Hysterical. Probably tears would be good.

...God...dess, I should get use to that. What to do?

Physical takes too long and is obvious.

Let's try for wide-eyed terror. After relief, then suspicion.

Psyching-up time. You're in a new world that about to go to almost world war and are about to discovered by the heroes of which with a weak improvised back story that will obvious be torn to shreds by Soren or Titania or Greil and if they're suspicious of you and if they don't take you in you'll probably get taken by Daein peoples and in the worst case will we given to Izuka and similar company to be experimented on or worse or tossed in the arena with feral lions like the Ancient Roman Gladiators and stripped naked to perform in front of thousands and is that battle over maybe I should take a peek-

Bushesrustle"OH GOD-DESS DON'T KILL ME!"

In my self-induced panic I hurl my tome at Rhys, smacking him smartly in the chest and knocking him over. I back-pedal straight into the nearing-conscious Elincia, electing a groan from her on impact. I'm shaking all over, and have thrown away my only weapon.

Ike jumps into the scene, sword out. Probably responding to the attack on seeing me, however, he expression becomes perplexed. He lowers his sword.

"Who are you?" he questions.

"Who are YOU?" I shoot back. Suspicion laces my tone. I may not be able to act, but I can change moods on a dime. Gold coin. Whatever.

"I'm Ike, of the Greil Mercenaries. Are you from the Capital?"

"And what if I am? Are you going to take me to your General? Like you did my parents?" I scoot back even more, not caring that I was squishing Elincia. My whole body was geared to survival at this point, despite my mind knowing I was safe.

"Ike, leave her. We shouldn't get involved matters that don't concern us." Soren says as he enters the bush. He's short.

Ike glances from Soren to I and back to Soren again. Rhys rights himself, then picking up my tome, slowly walks towards me. I back away, into the tree, into Elincia. I can't help this cornered animal feeling. Damn. I'm good.

As I move away, Rhys stops. So do I. I glare at him as he begins to speak. "Hello, my name is Rhys. We didn't mean to frighten you, and we don't work for Daein. We are a free mercenary group of Crimea and we don't intend to harm you. May you tell us your name?"

"...Alyanne. I go by Aly."

"Nice to meet you, Aly. Now, please come with us. More Daein soldiers are bound to appear soon, and the lady behind you seems to be in need of medical attention. We'll protect you." His voice is gentle.

I almost snort cynically. "And what guarantee do I have that you are not on Daein's payroll? As you say, you are a free mercenary group, and it would only make sense for an invader to hire native fighters to aid their cause, being familiar with the lay of the land and all."

They look shocked. Even Soren's eyes widened just a tad. I'd like to believe that, anyways.

"We'd never-"

"Daein is too prideful to lower themselves to hiring common mercenaries. They believe themselves of superior military might, especially compared to the scholarly Crimea. They would feel no need for native guides. We are not a threat, but if you reject our help we will not be inclined to offer again."

"Soren!"

I pretend to chew over his words for a moment, then get up. "That's true." I respond. I shake my head, trying to remove the last few motes of panic from my mind. I never want to do that again. So draining.

I sigh, and walk to Rhys. "I apologize for throwing my tome at you. It was...a reflex."

He smiles, and hands me my tome. "It was understandable. Ah! That woman..." He looks to her, looking troubled.

"I don't know her. I stumbled across her as I was running. I checked her pulse and she's alive, but I don't know how long she's been unconscious. I was going to continue on, but then I heard a battle, so I stopped. That was you, right?"

"Yes," Rhys explains as he checks on Elincia, "Some Daein soldiers attacked us, completely without provocation. Oh thank goodness, she's only fainted."

I nod. I remember. That patrol leader was such a moron.

Ike walks over to Elincia. "Right. We better take her with us for now and make sure she's all right." He proceeds to pick her up, bridal style. Huh. I didn't notice him sheath his sword. "Time to head home." I follow them out of the trees.

Exiting the wooded area, I notice the general carnage of the battlefield. Most of the bodies are intact, with only a few partial severed heads and limbs. Many were brought down by a head shot. Shinon has incredible accuracy.

I feel as if I should be appalled by the scene, but instead I'm neutral. This is the beginnings of a war, and it is obvious I must partake in it. Tome in hand, I continue to follow Ike and Rhys as they explain mine and Elincia's presence and start to The Fort. I don't exactly recall the name, for they weren't there for long in the game. Suddenly alert, I turn to seen Soren gazing intently at me. Eye contact lasts only a moment, but his suspicion is made clear. Not unexpected, but how am I going to work around that?

And this whole situation. I mull it over as we walk. Someone, or thing, as cliché as it sounds, brought me here. For whim or purpose, I don't know, but I don't plan to waste it. I will affect this world, hopefully for the good, with my knowledge of future events. Obviously I can't make such a thing apparent, but subtle tips may work. I'll have to befriend Soren though, and I'm probably at negative billion points with him. Ha. Oh well. I need to work on my cover story too, flesh it out. Shall I be a Crimean native as well? Looking at the backs of the Greil Mercenaries, I allow myself a slight smile. Upwards and onwards!

Author's Note:

Taken from _Blade of Fire_ by Stuart Hill. Maggiore Totus. Hee.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Curse my lack of stamina. Gah, where is this fort?

Though not panting, I'm definitely sweating. Comes from sitting on the computer all evening and night. I really should get more exercise. Well, obvious while I'm here I'm certainly going to, since we'll soon be on the run and all. Oh dear gosh, we're going to be travelling through a hot, humid forest, the ground riddled with tree roots and other tripping plants. Oh well, I'll just cope. Probably spot some good herbs on the way. Now, what goes in temperate climates during the spring? Ahh, I should have paid more attention to Mom and her explanations. Thyme? Poppy seed? Poppy seed would be more useful, being a pain killer of sorts. Yes, I'll look out for poppy. At least I know what it looks like...I wonder what vulnerary is made of? How can it just magically heal small wounds? Actually, is it consumed? Would it be more effective if applied to the area of injury? Can it aid in the recovery of broken bones or sprains? Can healing staves? What are the limitations of such devices? Oh look, we're here. That wasn't too bad.

The Fort is gray, surrounded by 10-by-1 feet walls that seem to extend all the way, with exceptions for three moderate sized openings, about the size of a car...t and a half, though we can only see one from here. My memory tells me there are three though. As well, there is an absence of gates or doors to these entrances, which is very suspicious. What would happen if the enemy attacked? Which will occur tonight. Well, they'd have to plug the entrances with people and defend to the best of their abilities. I guess doors wouldn't be as useful though, since the walls are too narrow to climb and shoot from. Though they might be able to hold enemies back while people flee out another exit. Huh. I wonder about those non-existent doors...

Did they built it themselves? Or do they simply attain it? More likely the latter, as they don't overcharge and have relatively few members. Not enough to built this in a short amount of time, in any case. Was it bought? I wonder how much it cost then, and where the money came from. A figure runs towards us from. Yellow, so it's Mist. That's such a short dress! Isn't it a bit cool for it? Especially as night approaches. An evening breeze blows through. I love this cloak, so warm.

Mist and Ike are speaking, but I more or less tune it all out. I have very selective hearing, and over the years have developed it into a skill. At will I can block out all sound from my mind, and with some effort can hone in on one in particular. Usually I stop listening though. If people are not talking to me or speaking of something interesting, I usually just mull over things in my mind...A person is approaching me from the right side!

"-llo? Anyone there?" A hand waves in front of my face. It's rough and calloused. Turning, the owner, Boyd, wears quizzical expression. Actually, everyone's looking at me questioningly. Oops, I guess they called me? My "away" status must not have been evident.

"Aah...?" Great. I sound like an idiot. Iggit. Gah.

Ike, I assume, re-states, "Mist is going to take you to see Father. I'm taking Elinica to the infirmary with Rhys."

"Okay," I reply with a nod, then walk towards Mist. Ike and Rhys then start towards a smaller separated building within the Fort walls with Elincia. There's one exit over to the right, so we came in the front entrance, the one receiving the most pressure tonight.

And yes, I memorized POR maps. I can even tell you where the reinforcements come from. Relative turns too, but I guess that doesn't matter right now, eh? At least I'll be prepared...actually, I shouldn't count too much on it. Nothing is set in stone, as it goes, so always be prepared for surprises. Who knows! An entire reserve army may in fact lie therein over that hill!

Oh gosh, I hope not. By that point, I'd rather be at least adequately proficient in my tome. How does magic even work? Ahh...it goes against everything I believe in! Science. Science is my rock. And I will find a way to explain magic through science or die in denial. There must be some sort of physics to it. Are there limitations to the number of spells one can cast in a given time? How does one improve their spell-casting stamina? How can you improve your magical resistance?

Maybe if Soren warms up...probably not quick enough tutor me, if at all. I hope it's in the tome. Haaa...I had hoped to have great debates with him. So opinionated and probably can back up all his points with examples. It would be so much fun~

A couple minutes of silence has passed, but it by no means has been awkward. For me at least. Mist looks a bit uncomfortable, but I'm not really one to start a conversation. I don't shrug people off per say, but if no one talks to me, I don't make the effort to converse. Unless they knowledgeable in areas of my interest. Then I actively try to strike up a conversation, attempting to ignite a passionate rant on the subject. It's so much easier to learn through experts. Books don't always clarify what you don't understand, unlike a real person. If people just starts talk though and I'm not busy, I'll make small talk. I have many stock phrases, questions, and responses, to be used in different situations.

"Sooo...You're name is Alyanne, right?"

"Yes, nice to meet you, Mist. I go by Aly though. How are you today?"

"You know my name?" she replies, surprised.

"Your brother said your name when he told me to follow you."

Realization. "Oh! Darn it, I'm such a blunderhead."

Blunderhead. Mental happy face. "Of course not! I've barely been paying any attention though. What exactly did Ike say about me?"

"Well, he said that they found you off to the side of the battlefield with the lady and that you seemed fine. Did you really throw a tome at Rhys?"

"Uhh, yeah. I was a bit jumpy. I haven't learnt to cast spells yet, so I didn't know what else to do."

"He also said-Oh! We're here! Father! Ike brought back a girl!"

An acid feeling stirs in my stomach. This was Gawain Greil, former General of the Four Daein Riders and Commander of the Greil Mercenaries. Tall, and muscular, his presence fills the room, but I lower my eyes to the ground. As I follow Mist to him, I feel sicker. If he doesn't believe my story, where will I be? Ahhh...Well, let the half-truths reign.

I guess my uneasiness is apparent, as Greil offers me a seat. I take it, nervous. What should I be feeling right now? Still suspicion? Relief to be safe? Anger? Grief? What would be the most realistic? I still haven't raised my eyes nor made to speak.

Then, I see a hand under my face. "The name's Greil. I'm the commander of this mercenary company. Come now, I don't bite." He interprets my lack of response as fear? Nervousness? Completely true feelings.

I look up to him. His nose is a bit large. And very pointy. It's...just...so...a giggle builds in my throat, and suddenly I'm doubled over in the chair in a fit of silent laughter. Oh my god, I can't breathe. Can't...breathe...

A large concerned hand starts patting me on the back. Ahahaha...if I was choking, the silence would mean full obstruction, therefore patting doesn't do anything! And if I was coughing, the patting might even cause a full obstruction! So stupid! Ahaha...but they probably don't know that...not in this world...

I'm not in my own world.

With that sobering thought, the laughter recedes. Removing the hand from my back, I say, "Thank you, I'm fine now. Sorry for the inconvenience." God, what's wrong with me? I know I'm a bit eccentric, but this is abnormal...

"...It's not a problem. And forgive my bluntness, but I have some questions for you."

"I understand," I feel my eyes become half-lidded. Where did all my energy go? The adrenaline of panicked thinking is gone...

Seeing my reaction, he continues, "This is not an interrogation. We mean you no harm, Aly." Woah, when did he get my nickname? Damn it, I should be more aware..."Just tell me, who are you? And what were you doing in that place?"

I hesitant, though I basically scripted my response earlier. Here goes everything..."We...my family was in the capital when the attack came. It was so chaotic, people screaming, wyverns darkening the sky..." Too dramatic, down. "My father's a merchant, so we were in town for business. Some sort of trade, but I didn't really take interest in such things. I was with Maggie, my tutor, when it all came crashing down. My father rushed into the room, shouting that we get to the caravan, then ran off. Probably to find mother. She's an herbalist, so she was off selling her wares in a rented stall. Maggie and I rushed to the caravan, but by the time we started moving, Daein had surrounded the Capital. We made it to the outskirts, but were stopped by a patrol who demanded our goods and person. In a fit of anger, Father punched a guard right in the face. As the rest began to beat him, Mother came to Maggie and I, bring us to the edge of the caravan, where only one soldier stood. 'Run!' she told us, and tackled the guard, Maggie and I took off, but the guards were quick to pursue. The cavalier caught up to Maggie, but I ran into the forest before he could get me. And then I ran and ran and ran..."

Trailing off, I find that my eyes closed. I tremble. My story feels weak though I have changed it from what I originally planned, but my mind has become sluggish. I don't understand...why? Instead, I turn my mind back to my story, imagining it, looking for holes. My father red with anger, like when he gets off the phone with a client who refuses to believe he's not trying to swindle them. My mother tussling with the guard, pulling at his hair as if it was a weed in her massive garden, frustratingly fighting stubborn roots. Uncle Tylar, my model for Tutor Maggie, running until his face is flushed. Uncle Tylar...

"...You know, my father hired Maggie to tutor me since I was a child," mostly true, though Mom paid him in food, "Since Father was so busy, Maggie was the one to answer all my childish questions, like 'why is the sky blue?' or 'why does the wind blow?' He always answered them to the best of his abilities. I remember, back when I was only nine, when Maggie actually explained to me how babies were conceived..." I smile at the memory, "Father was so angry, even though Maggie didn't go into the details of it..."

Something wet lands on my clasped hands. My eyes snap open. I had not realized how tightly I had fisted my hands until now. Shaking from exertion, my hand touches my cheek. Moist. When had I started crying?

I give a start at Greil's voice. "Thank you, Aly. That's enough. Mist, could you take her to the empty room at the end of the hall?"

"Sure! Um, Aly?"

Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it. "Ah...Y-yes." I stand up, and follow Mist once more out of the room. We walk down the corridor, opposite the way we came, and stop at the last room.

"You can rest here. The sheets are all clean, so you don't need to worry." Mist says, a concerned look on her face.

Argh. "Thank you." I say, grateful that for the lack of stutter or breaking. I open the door and go in.

As I turn to shut it, Mist begins, "You know... I lost my mom when I was young." Yes, Elena. "Not to say yours is dead," she recovers quickly, "But if you need someone to talk too..."

I nod, and fake a small smile. "Thank you, Mist," then slowly shut the door.

Turning, I find the room to be small and cozy. A rug on the floor, curtains to pull over the windows. Chest to the left and a bed to the right. I take a large step over to the bed and fling myself into it.

DAMN IT. I can't believe I just CRIED in front of them. I bring my sleeve over my eyes, drying the remaining tears. I'm not this weak. I'm better than this. Stronger. I can survive here, but not if I cry over-

What? What am I crying over? Nothing Greil said or did. Mist is not to blame. Why am I crying?

Because...I'm never going back home.

A wave of utter hopelessness washes over me. I'm trapped. In a world about to go to war twice in the span of five years, assuming Crimea wins the first one, but who knows? Nothing is set in stone. Nothing. For all I know, everything that could go wrong will go wrong, and this whole world could collapse on itself.

And home. I guess I'll just have to find it here, eh? As hard as I try, I just...can't imagine it. The idea of going home just seems so unattainable. There's no inter-world travel here, so how? I can't depend on some random supernatural power. That's stupid. God, who knows what brought me here? Or why? Probably on a whim, to watch me suffer, completely uprooted and thrown into an uncertain location. Heh, at least it's somewhat familiar. I recognize some people.

Whom I guess...will fill the roles of former friends. Tristan, Alice, Jenn, Evelyn, Erin...mom, dad. Uncle Tylar. Susan and Kat.

...

A numb emptiness replaces everything. I have nothing. No friends, no real useable skills, not enough knowledge to make a life here. I'm so...useless...

Cold wet spots over my eyes.

...

GOD DAMN IT.

I mentally smack myself. Hard. God damn self-pity. Damn it to hell. And wallowing in it. It's pathetic. Unnecessary. USELESS. An absolute waste of time. Time that you don't have. So SUCK IT UP PRINCESS, and get off your depressed ass and WORK.

Sitting up, I use my dry sleeve to wipe my eyes again. Damn it, my eyes are definitely all puffy and red still, but there's no controlling that. It usually takes about half an hour to recede. Rummaging through my pockets, I find the wind tome. My wind tome. My weapon. Soon.

I open to a random page. Great, the enunciation key sucks. Is horrible. Ineffective. Is probably why the tome recommends a teacher. Oh well, we make do with what we have. I really should start on Page 1 though.

Grace would be a fantastic help with this. She's amazing at sounding out words for the first time...

FOCUS. Now is not the time. Think of it later. Now, we must learn. Learn, practice, and then fight. Can't be a burden on the battlefield, now can we? NPC we will not be!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"_Wind Magic is best suited to mages capable of great focus, especially in times of duress. As Wind Magic is primarily composed of slicing spells, incredible focus is required to sharpen the edge of the 'wind blade' and to increase the speed, and thus the power. The more concentrated the energy, the sharper the edge and the faster and more powerful the spell._" (Anonymous, 3)

And that's just part of the introduction. As I read, revise my opinion and dub the tome Epic I. It is incredible. It's extraordinarily detailed, and has answers to almost all my questions, excluding those to do with the origins of magic itself. I eat through the pages, absorbing and partial memorizing every word. Hmm. It makes the assumption that magic is simply an Ashera-given blessing to Tellians and implies that no steps have been taken to create another theory. Those who say otherwise are probably hushed by the Church. Ehe. This will be fun. Illegal research MUST be conducted. Not now though.

The enunciation key is still horrible though. I've already memorized what I think it sounds like the symbols, and the meaning of the spell, but can it even be put to use? No one is going to teach...hmmmm...

Flipping to the table of contents, I scan the chapters...Introduction (read), preliminary exercises (read), first spell (read), warnings and precautions (read), applications (read)...Ah! Mental chanting.

Flipping to the page, it reads:

"_As one grows more proficient in spells, chanting incantations aloud becomes cumbersome and slow. Advance mages are able to perform magic by reciting the spell entirely in their mind. As thought is often faster than word, the spell-casting period shortens dramatically. This method should only be attempted when the spell is almost second-nature to the wielder_." (Anonymous, 59)

Well, there's no time for that, is there? But darn. It still doesn't help with my enunciation problem, now does it?

How to get around that...To pronounce it wrong and put supposedly a death-dealing amount of energy behind it will be disastrous, but do I have time to sound it all out? The battle is tonight, and although I obviously can't participate, I don't want to be defenceless. Chant in the mind...does it have to be oral?

Do I have to imagine speaking the words? Words are merely sounds or pictures with assigned meanings. Words are to ears and pictures are to eyes. Would I...be able to simply visualize the symbols? Since I know the translation, I could focus my magical energy on the mental symbols instead of spoken word. Huh. Experimenting time!

Looking around the room, I try to find a suitable target. Bed, chest...opening it, I find...a rock. How random, but convenient. Hopefully it has no sentimental value attached to it. Placing it on the window sill, I begin to summon my magic.

Epic I says that to summons one's magic, they merely have to find it. The first time is the hardest by far, but once located, from then on you only need to...draw from the source, for a lack of a better phrase. Mentally, or spiritually, it's similar to drawing water from a well. Epic I states that as I continue to draw from it, the summoning will be faster, akin to a swordsman learning to quickly draw his blade from its sheath through practice.

A mage's source differs from person to person. From going through the exercise earlier, while I was reading the section, I learnt my source was located in my head. The placement is quite common for wind users, according to Epic I. Drawing from my source, I close my eyes and start visualizing the symbols of the spell and their meanings, directing my drawn magic to it. It begins to take form, compressing into a flat crescent moon in my mind's eye, though it is still too thick my liking. Not stopping the thread of symbols, I forcefully will the form thinner, moulding it into a razor-sharp green rectangular sheet, the front still rounded. I finish the last few symbols and, as the tome instructed, cut off the spell off from my source, open my eyes and lift my hand towards my target.

"Wind!" I shout, and release the spell, channelling it through my arm. A green blade of magic, about an arm-length wide, screams out and propels itself at the rock. It easily slices through, then continues at least another five metres! Amazing! I grin, happy with my result, then collapse as my knees buckle.

Out of breath, I move into a cross-legged position, place my elbows on my knees, and rest my forehead in my hands. Gosh, that was tiring! And I only casted one spell! But still, that was AMAZING, and rather advanced. I look up to the sill and take in the neatly sliced rock. It's in two pieces, and the slice is clean. Perfect! The blade was flat then, and travelled in a straight line. Epic I stated that the first wind spell usually doesn't even make it through paper, being more of an ineffective smack, or explodes in all directions, like a bomb with, hopefully, no debris. Such a successful first try is incredible!

Still, I need to practice. The reason I'm so tired after one minor spell is, according to Epic I, because waste most of my energy to the environment. Like how an incandescent light bulb loses most of its energy by being converted to heat, much my energy I direct to my spell escapes my control and into the space around me as small wisps of energy. It explains why a mage's clothing flutters as they cast a spell. The excess energy does that, but as it's completely unfocused it does next to nothing.

Glancing around, I see the bed sheets are more ruffled than I left them. Therefore, I'm losing enough energy that it can be felt at least a metre away. Great. But oh well. It was my first try! The pieces are still sizable, so let's try that again.

Pushing myself up, I walk to the sill, which is about a metre away, totalling my spell range to six metres, and reach out to pick up a rock piece when something catches my eye. Turning, I examine the side of the window and find a shallow, but visible cut. A twin of it is other the parallel side. Woah. That was longer than I expected.

Things to work on: width of blade and control on magic output. And keeping my eyes open! I literally facepalm. Closing eyes for a prolonged period of time on the battlefield. Bad.

Six spells later, I'm once again on the floor, out of breath. Spell-casting is quite a bit more physically straining than I imagined it to be. I wonder why. While I wait to recover enough energy to cast a seventh spell, I try to create a hypothesis.

Well, assuming magic is produced somewhere in your body, it is an internal force which is able to manipulate external forces. Similar to the energy used to power the rest of your bodily functions, such as the muscle. As it is replenished over time, the body is constantly producing magical energy and storing it for future use. but if that be true, why do beginner mages have so little magic when they first start? Maybe the magic storage unit has a finite size. Therefore, only so much magic can be stored in it at once, while the rest...is converted to another form of energy. As magical stamina, which for this theory would be the magic storage unit (MSU), increases with use of magic, the regular use of magic enlarges the size of the MSU. But why? It cannot be due to the amount of magic put into it, as that would contradict beginner mages' lack of MSU, so...could the..."walls" of the MSU be more malleable directly after casting? If that be the case, then as the body replenishes the MSU after casting, slightly more magic can be stored since the "walls" are able to stretch. It makes sense!

This does not explain why magic is physically straining though...Hmmm...If the MSU does not have enough magic to fuel a spell, does it convert other forms of energy in the body into magic to compensate the difference? That's...frightening. There should be a study out there. _The Effects of Magic on the Human Body_.

I feel better though, so let's try another spell. Or two! Not losing as much energy anymore. At the very least, I'm not disturbing the metre-away bed. I can consistently cast a 5 metre blade as well, though it's only lethal, meaning it cut at least half-way through the rock, at 3 metres. At 4-5 I guess it would still break skin. It's still about an arm's length long, though on try before last I shrank it to about half an arm's length and the blade travelled 8 metres! It took much longer to cast the spell though, for forcing the energy into a smaller form required much more focus. For the first engagement, I'll stay with an arm's length.

A knock comes from behind me. Probably Elincia has woken up, so they've sent someone to fetch me? I look out the window. It is getting dark out...

Opening the door, I find Mist. She still looks a bit worried, but that's probably just left from her last impression of me. Seeing that I'm normal, she relaxes a bit.

"Father wants everyone to gather in the meeting room. I know you aren't part of the company, but he said that you'd probably want to hear this too."

"Okay. Thanks, Mist. Lead the way!" I say, with a big smile on my face. I'm just so satisfied with my magic training.

She seems a bit startled by my cheerful attitude, but we begin to walk towards the room we were in previously. At least, I think that is the meeting room. Seems large enough to be one.

"Hey Aly," I look to Mist, "How are you? I mean, it's great that you're happy but are you really okay?"

I take a moment to think. "Mist," I begin, "I miss my parents and Maggie dearly, but crying my eyes out won't bring them back to me." I take a deep breath, and then continue, "What I need to do is survive this war. As long as I survive, there will always be a chance I might find them. And if in the end...I never see them again, I must learn to live without. I would have to in any case, but it'll just be a lot sooner, eh?" Ah...my throat's getting tight again...are we there yet?

Mist gives me an understanding look, then as if reading my thoughts stops at the meeting room doorway. It's open, and the rest of the Mercenaries seem to be already there. It is evident that matters have already been revealed, for conversation is lively.

"The blame for the war rests on Daein. If we ally ourselves with them, the company's reputation will surely suffer. Conversely, if we deliver Princess Crimea safely, our stock will rise in the eyes of our primary employers. Our road is clear." Titania states.

Cue! "The Princess?" I put it. I widen my eyes and try to look surprised. It feels like a failed attempt.

"It's good to see you are well, Aly," greets Greil, "And as for the Princess, it seems like the lady you stumbled upon is the secret Princess Elincia Crimea, daughter of King Ramon and heiress to the throne."

Eek. It just sounds...so cliché..."Does she have any proof of her claim?" I immediately question. If I didn't know, I'd ask. Me being the doubtful untrusting one! Mental smiley face. Though why would someone even claim such a title in these circumstances? They'd only be hunted down by Daein.

Greil obliges an answer, "If the Daein soldiers demanding the Princess of us are any indication, I'm confident in her heritage."

"Which is why there is nothing to think about," says Soren, "We must deliver the Princess to Daien."

The other party members look shocked, but I ready myself for a fight. "And why should we do that?" I ask.

"We," Soren replies and pauses pointedly, obviously meaning to exclude me from the pronoun, "are mercenaries. Our actions are dictated only by self-interest. If we want to ensure our future, we need Daein in our debt. They will win this war, after all, and nothing else serves us better."

"And how will giving Daein the Princess ensure our future?" I argue, "Daein does not seem to be a country that would let a mere mercenary group hang a favour over their heads. In all likelihood, they we will probably kill us all, regardless of whether we give them the Princess. They had no grounds for attacking Melior, so what would prevent them from doing the same here? Confrontation could easily be justified to superior officers, if it need be at all. Daein are traitorous, therefore their offers are worthless." Dang, I left a couple openings there. I need practice.

Soren makes to refute my points, but Greil stops him, "I'd like to hear everyone's opinion before those soldiers get impatient." Woot! Last word.

And let's turn out partially. Soren's glaring at me, so I can't help but smile (though not smugly. Really!) back, which leads to further eye-narrowing. So much fun. Oh wait, am I not suppose to makes friends with him? Oops. Shinon agrees with Soren, Gatrie doesn't care, and everyone else nobly votes to help Elincia to Gallia. Democracy rules, so we're going to Gallia! Yaaaay! Mental happy dance. I can't wait to see Gallian culture and such. Maybe I'll even be able to determine that darn elusive age ratio! It's a bit of a pet peeve, not knowing how the different races relate to each other in terms of age. Wait, Greil looks tense. Something's about to happen...

Interrupting the conversation, Greil says, "I think the choice has been taken out of our hands."

The Mercenaries stop talking and turn to him. Ike looks confused. "What?"

"Open your ears and listen. Listen! All of you."

"...I don't hear anything...not even the animals." I put in. Let's get this moving along...

Oscar makes the connection. "Not only are the animals silent, but the bugs are silent too. And that is unnatural beyond belief. Which means..."

"We're surrounded," finishes Ike, already placing a hand on his sword, "The soldiers aren't waiting for an answer. They already decided to attack."

"It appears that Alyanne was right," continues Titania. Happy face to acknowledgement. "They had no intention of keeping their side of the proposed bargain."

"They were planning on lulling us into a false sense of security and destroying every one of us," Soren speaks bitterly and shoots me another glare. He's probably frustrated that he didn't predict this.

Greil seems unfazed. "Probably so. But the deal is, we're not so naive or inexperienced as to fall for their trap. Everyone, take your positions! We're going to settle this right now!"

The Mercenaries fly into a flurry of action. Titania, Oscar, Boyd, Shinon and Gatrie bolt out of the room, likely to get their weapons. Soren migrates to Ike, and Rhys moves to the back to retrieve something. Ike approaches Mist, I, and...Rolf? Huh, didn't see him there.

"Mist. Rolf. Take Princess Elincia to the cellar and wait until one of us gets you. Aly, can you fight?"

"Um...No. I began my magic lessons only recently. I can cast a few spells, but as I am I probably wouldn't be of much use during a battle." Darn, I hate being useless, but I'm definitely not ready for combat just yet. Improving swiftly though. Hopefully by the return to Crimea. To Toha! Not after Daein. That'll be too long.

"Fine. Follow Mist and Rolf. Soren! Rhys! Let's go! Father's put me in charge of the front."

We all file out of the room, then part as we head off to our respective positions. Mist leads our group right, left, then right again and into a small room. Inside, shelves line the walls and a solitary hatch sits in the middle of the floor.

"In here!" declares Mist, lifting the hatch to reveal a staircase. Yes, it was somewhat implied...Wah, I'm terrible.

We all descend the staircase, Rolf, Elincia, then I, and finally Mist, who lit a candle while we were heading down. She hands me the candle, in a candle holder of course, and shuts the hatch above her. Then we all hunker down for the battle.

"How long do you expect the battle to be?" I ask, slightly anxious, but I'm confident the Mercenaries will rout them.

"About an hour," replies Mist. "Is everyone comfortable?"

The cellar is rather spacious, the candlelight illuminating shelves of glass jars and couple barrels.

"I'm good." Elincia nods, as does Rolf.

We sit in silence for a bit. Not that it's a bad thing, since I feel awkward silences, but the overall atmosphere is a bit tense. Well, this would be a prime time for bonding. The lot of us will be spending a great deal of time together, and strong relations translate to higher morale. Now how to start...

"Anyone for a game of 20 questions?"

Author's note:

Wind magic is explained! Hopefully Aly's theory of magic storage holds true, but if new evidence arises it will be modified accordingly. I'd like to create an entire working magic system, so more explanations of magic are to be expected. If you find logic holes, please tell me!

On that note, reviews are welcome.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – In which there is GREAT AMOUNTS of history (really)

"What?" asks Mist, looking at me questioningly.

I shrug. "It's a game suggestion. I mean, we'll be stuck here for all of an hour. What do you usually do when everyone's off to battle?"

"We'd do chores and such. Nobody's ever attacked the Fort before, so usually Rolf and I can go exploring, but we can't really do that now."

"Well, does anyone know any good stories? Or even better, some history. For example, how did Crimea and Daein separate from the Begnion Empire?" It would great to learn a bit more about this world. Although Yune flooded it about 700 years ago, there still must be quite a rich history.

"I remember Titania talking about it during one of our lessons, but right in the middle Boyd burst through the door and raced across the room. Ike hot on his heels, looking ready to kill! So Titania sighed and went after them. It was something over fried chicken," Rolf recounts.

...fried chicken. Okay. The fact that Ike takes is food seriously is confirmed.

"Well..." Elincia begins. I immediately give her my full attention. "I know a bit on the subject...My tutor had quite a passion for that period in our history and went over it in great detail. As Daein's independence was intertwined with Crimea's, he also covered that topic." for the She's a hidden princess! Of course she's been educated in the history of her country.

"That's wonderful! So, when and why did Daein and Crimea separate from Begnion?" I ask, eager for information. History, I heart thee.

Appearing uncertain, Elincia starts her lesson"...Daein was granted her independence in 566, closely followed by Crimea in 570 four year later." Yes, we can do the math, Ellie. "That is the end of the similarities, though. How each nation went about separating from the Empire were completely different."

"But why did each land decide to declare their independence?" I question.

"In order to explain that, we must take a look at how the respective lands were treated before they became nations. When both soon-to-be nations were a part of the Empire, each town and city was made to pay annual tribute and tax to be used to benefit the whole Empire...in theory. In actuality, the Imperial capital city, Sienne, was given the bulk of the money, leading to its splendorous temples and cathedrals, amounts decreasing with distance. Although ports were given some priority, this point is more or less moot.

"This arrangement did not sit well with the northern citizens though. Living in harsh and cold climate where a living was hard-earned as it was, and to give up a sizable portion was unacceptable. Coupled with being left to fend for themselves against bandits and escaped laguz, the northern citizens saw no reason to continue to support the Empire. Uniting under Lord Scipio of the House of Daein, a family renowned for their warrior prowess, the Rebellion of Daein commenced in 564.

"After gathering a large group of supporters, Scipio ridded his land of Begnion soldiers, then proceed to conquer his neighbours. As he expanded south, many disgruntled peasants joined his cause, as well as many other Houses. It was not until Begnion loyalists fleeing the country did the Empire realize what was going on. However, by then Scipio had already taken over the upper half of modern Daein, and was marching quickly towards Sienne.

"So exactly how long did it take for Begnion to find out about the Rebellion?"

"About five months after the Rebellion started in full force. Without much urgency, Begnion made its battle plans, but much in-house politicking delay military deployment, much to the Begnion Imperial Army commanders' dismay. Finally, in late-autumn of 564 one legion of the Begnion Imperial Army began its march on Daein, though the Rebellion had started late-winter. The upper echelons of Sienne were unconcerned though. They thought themselves invincible. Many of the soldiers even believed they would be home for Yuletide."

Of course. They probably thought, "How could a ramble of country bumpkins even think to dent the gleaming armour of Imperial troops?" How arrogant. "How was the Begnion Imperial Military at the time, though?"

"The Empire kept a professional army of consisting of two legions, though it had been many years since a major confrontation with the Empire. Though their soldiers were well-trained and well-equipped, few had any real battle experience, and the rest had only fought overwhelming battles against weak brigades. Daein had the advantage of local terrain, as well as a seasoned militia and honed their blades on persistent mountain bandits. To further bolster their numbers, Scipio also recruited local mercenaries, promising prestige and land. With more and more supporters flooding the ranks, the Daein Rebellion army, as it was so called, was not a force to be taken lightly."

"But Begnion obviously did."

"Correct. To our knowledge, they didn't even bother to gather any more information on the Daein army even as they made their way to confront them. After a month of hard-marching, the Begnion army arrived at Talrega. Unused to such travel, they were weary and completely unprepared when Daein ambushed. In the dark of night, wyvern riders flew barrels of oil and pitch over the camp, dumping them onto the tents. Then, hidden archers fired flaming arrows, while the riders simultaneously lit and dropped torches. The camp was set ablaze, and fleeing soldiers were cut down by an awaiting ground party. It was a complete rout, but one Imperial soldier was captured and made to walk all the way back to Sienne with a message from Lord Scipio: Daein is coming for you."

EPIC. Incredible! Amazing! Probably some embellishment, but...Waaaah. General Scipio...happy face. So cool. I love great military tactics. "What were their reactions?"

"The Senate was appalled, but it was clear Daein was not to be underestimated. During this, one man stood took control of the situation: Lord General Titus of the Flavii House. A gifted speaker and commander, Titus declared he would drive the enemy into the ground and, The Rout of Talerga imprinted in their minds, the Senate gave him full control over Begnion affairs. With his famed-tactician Lucius at his side, they implemented outrageous policies, raising levies to astounding heights and conscripting all able-bodied men into the army, including those of the noble class. He also forced the upper class to pay for cavalry wing of Pegasus and wyverns, which has now become the Holy Guard, the personal unit the Apostle and the Temple guard.

"Meanwhile, Lord Scipio had decided to split his army, determining that flanking Sienne was the best course of action. As the Daein Army had swelled to in number, he put half the men under the command of his son, Antony, to march west while Scipio marched with the rest south. They spent that winter preparing for their invasion, outfitting and drilling their soldiers, knowing that to travel during the winter season would only leave their armies exhausted at the capital."

By the way: "So far, you've only spoken about Daein. How does this relate to Crimea?"

Without missing a beat, Elincia answers, "By marching west, Antony would go through the lands of the province of Crimea. The House of Crimea would play a pivotal role in the Rebellion, leading to its independence. While Begnion and Daein trained their troops, Lord Arthur of House of Crimea began his preparations for war, completely without prompting by Begnion. Like the northern provinces, the south-western provinces of the Empire were also largely ignored, with the exception of port towns such as Toha. The climate was much more temperate though, and prone to bountiful harvests, these provinces were content, not really wanting to upset a working system. In fact, upon being informed that Daein was planning on passing through his lands, Lord Arthur bonded together with his fellow Houses to form the Crimea Defence Force. They also prepared for war that winter, while the House of Crimea's spies continued to watch Daein.

"When Spring of 565 finally rolled around, three armies were armed for battle: the new Begnion Imperial Army, the Daein Rebellion Army, and the Crimean Defence Force. Then-"

BOOM BOOM BOOM.

WHYYYYY! Goodness gracious, this was just so interesting! How's about you go fight another hour, or something...waaah. Need. More. INFORMATION.

Mist and Rolf are awake again. They had fallen asleep during the lecture, I guess. Oh well, It can't be helped; Not everyone can sit through that much history.

"The battle's over," Ike's Voice. "Father said we have to pack."

Mist makes her way up to unlatch the hatch in the dark. Break!

I turn to Elincia, "Elinica, I am so impressed by your detailed knowledge of the Crimean-Daein separation from the Empire. Would you please continue this conversation at a more appropriate time?"

She looks slightly shocked, but agrees, "Of course." She pauses thoughtfully. "I'm surprised your tutor didn't cover the subject during your studies, since you're so interested."

Erk. "My studies were...scattered, at best. Maggie, though brilliant, wasn't the most organized man. We should be heading out though." I gesture to the now open hatch, and the fact that we're the only people left in the cellar.

After lifting we file out. Ike isn't there.

"He's probably discussing with everyone," Mist replies, answering my thoughts, MIND READER. "Let's go."

Retracing our steps, we make our way through. The Mercenaries are whizzing about, carrying all sorts of equipment. I hope Rhys isn't planning on carrying all those jars by himself the entire way! They're practically falling out of his arms! And look somewhat heavy. You know, whoever said that you can't get enough of a good thing clearly didn't have half-way across the country on the run in the dark over a number of days. Not that I speak from experience, but I do read a great deal, and the Roman soldiers were drilled to march because really, what is the use of an army that too tired to fight once they get to the battlefield! Or worse, can't make it there in time! Ahhh...Gosh darn it. I'm such a hypocrite. Look at me! Already slightly out of breathe from just this brisk walk. But still! I didn't expect to be in this situation! Ooh look – a stone's missing from that wall. Huh. Structural integrity?

Command Room. "Probably around five days, taking this route. Though through here-"

Mist cuts in. "I'm going to go pack. Father's in there." I glance in. Greil makes eye contact with me.

Well, I already know what they're planning and can't really contribute..."May I come?"

Eyebrows up. "Sure. Just follow me."

Elincia and Rolf go in though, so it's only Mist and I.

"Everybody's got their stuff, so we'll only need to pack the rations...We'll need enough food per person for about a week, and blankets...the horses can carry 3 each. We do without tents, since showers aren't due for a little while, and we'll probably have to abandon them anyways if we get attacked. Let's see. Hard cheese, salted meat, biscuits, there's some lots of bread from this morning's baking.

"You sound like you've done this before."

Mist flashes a small smile. "Well, not for the whole company at once, but I usually prepare the bags wherever one of us goes on an overnight job." Her expression hardens again, focused. "Considering that we'll need to move fast, we'll probably get in at most two meals a day, plus a snack in the middle so..."

Wow. "Considering the situation, I'm surprised you're so calm." I mean, we've just been attacked by Daein soldiers whom have taken over your country and are not about to hunt you down for unknowingly taking in the secret heiress to the throne and are about to flee into a strange country inhabited by different race of people. Huh. I'm pretty calm too, but then again, I...somewhat, yes somewhat, know what's coming. It's not in stone!

"There's no point in panicking, right? I'm no crybaby, and freaking out won't do any good. Better to keep a level-head, like Father and Brother. Here, just copy what I do. Two loaves of bread..."

In the storage room outside the main building of the Fort, Mist and I quickly fill packs with food. Periodically, one or two members would sweep in, grab a pack, and sweep out. And in a mere...15 or so minutes...we are done, and take the remaining six packs (I, Mist, Elincia, Ike, Greil, Soren) to the front entrance. In which there is no door. Bother bother bother.

The rest of the Mercs are already there and geared up to go. The horses weighted with saddle bags, but don't looked too strained to my untrained eye. Probably where Rhys' jars went. Hopefully they would break, shatter, stab into the horse and throw off their rider(s).

Ho-hum. I'm a tad pessimistic right now. Do the jars have something to do with vulnerary production? How and what are those healing items made of? Is healing magic infused in them, which is likely, so how does one go about doing this? Do objects have a compatibility with magic, enabling them to channel-

"Finally." Nice to see you too, Soren. "Greil?"

"Yes, let's go. Aly, Princess. Please mount the horses with Oscar and Titania. The two of you are the slowest among us, no offense meant."

Probably saw my condition earlier. I nod, the make to Oscar's horse on my left.

...What is this? How high is this horse? 18 hands? (How large is a hand, anyways? Hand sizes do differ..) I stare at the stirrup, which is at the level of my upper abdomen. Aaaah...

Hand. "Need a hand?" Oscar smiles down at me. Returning the gesture, I take his hand place my foot on the stirrup, and haul myself up with all the strength of my left arm and right leg. At the top, I hurl my leg over the mount, then wrap my arms around Oscar's waist. "Thank you." I'm on a horse...I'm on a horse! Mental happy face.

"Ready?" He asks, looking over his shoulder. I nod again, shifting a bit into a more comfortable position. Good thing I have calf length boots. New riders usually get a set of painful leg sores after their first hard ride. I hope it protects we somewhat...Wait! Saddle sores...Argh...Pah! I hastily tuck my hair behind my ear. It's much too long. I'll see if someone can cut it later. Don't want enemies able to grab a fistful of straight black hair too easily!

"Ike! You know the way." Pause. Probably a nod. In the dark. "Good! Lead on. Greil Mercenaries, move out!"

AUTOBOTS. ROLL OUT.

Hehehe...

oooooooooooooooooooo

Author's Note:

Well, I hope you enjoyed that long blerb on the Crimean/Daein separation. And it's not done! So much fun to write though~


	6. Chapter 6

Sooo...There's a bit of language in this one. Just a warning!

Chapter 6 – BITE ME.

Groggy.

Aaarrrgh...Pain...

...In the lower abdominal region.

Oh. Crap. Really? REALLY? Though I guess it's not that unexpected. Somewhat explains the moodiness a couple days ago...

Aaaaaaaarrrrrgh...Let's see...Who's on watch?...Titania. Good. Maybe she'll have...?

Inwardly groaning, I push myself up. I'm horrible. Well, I guess I'm not used to this, but I wasn't even on foot and I'm dead! Sores on my butt and the inside of my legs, just sore all over from the jostling...and now this. Well, at least I don't have bleeding blisters just yet, and it's the fifth day, so we're almost there...

Walking over to Titania, I step over Rolf...Rhys...Pah.

Titania whirls around, no doubt thinking an enemy or something...I'm languid. "Aly? What are you doing up? It's barely morning."

I look up. Greyish world all around, so pre-dawn. Naaaaa.

"Titania." Eye contact. "Do you have any...linens?"

She stares for a moment, then realization dawns. "Oh. Yes. Just a moment..." She rummages through her pack. But...we didn't ...oh. probably after. Stupid.

"Here you are." She hands me a small bundle of cloth. "We'll get you your own set in Gallia. You can change over there."

Following the direction of her arm, I drag my way into the bush.

This is going to be a hell of a day.

-LINEBREAK-

And of course, sleep never comes afterwards. But everyone's up within the hour, so whatever. Not like I miss much.

Five minutes for breakfast, but more like five to get ready, and eat on the go. I already ate once people stirred, so I'm good. Five minutes of thinking. Get the old brain in working. I'm curled up, back to a tree and arms around knees. God...dess damned pain. Crippling. Freaking genetic too.

Now, what have we learnt these past few days? Well...Oscar's horse in not 18 hands tall and a hand is 4 inches, or about 10.2 centimetres. Denver is actually 15 hands, a perfectly respectively size, and is a great warhorse bred for battle. Made me wonder how he could afford to buy it, so I asked. He was gifted to him by his neighbours as a foal and miraculously grew into a war horse. From two draft horses. Well, definitely some amazingly lucky gene segregation there. And the rest of the history lesson from Elincia! Oh my goodness, that was wonderful. It-

A shadow above me. "Get up."

I raise my head. Soren. "Negh...?" Yeah. Pretty intelligent. I feel my eyebrows narrow. Soren...

"Are you deaf? Mist has called you three times already. The rest of us are all waiting for you."

I glance around. Everyone's suited up. Damn it. Using the tree as support, I slowly push myself up, sending pain shooting across my stomach and below. And those damn damned sores...

"Move faster."

"..." Fuck Fuck FUCK. I can't DO this. And then on the damn horse, for some damn amount of time. And goddamn it damn it damn it!

"If you're just going to be a burden-"

Oh for fuck's sake. I turn around, grab him by the his shirt-cloak-robe front (don't care), and shove him against the tree. To hell with pain right now. "You goddess-damned BASTARD. Condescending, arrogant, judgemental, disgusting, discriminating bastard. Why don't you go emo your head in a corner, because right now, I could give less than a rat's filthy ass about anything you're going to say right now, so leave me the hell alone!" BITE ME SOREN.

He was shocked, but now I feel the wind rustling around us. Probably casting a damn spell. Well, I've had a bit of practice in the night time these days, and there is a dagger in my inside pocket...

Woah! Suddenly, I'm pulled off Soren, and land butt-first on the forest floor. Roots. PAIN. I curl up, waiting for it to calm down. They're talking, but really, I can't pay much attention, because I'm just SO unfortunately to have the most painful, crippling, on-the-floor-and-can't-move cramps in the entire world.

It recedes, and I sit up. Titania's with them. Okay.

Greil turns to me. "Titania has explained your...condition, so this once you are excused. But no more of this." Beh. "Are you fine to ride?"

No. I nod.

Soren walks by me with a glare, so I casually kick my leg out to trip him as I get up. He doesn't go down, but stumbles, so I'm fine. Dang, petty revenge. I shouldn't do that. Heh.

"Hey, are you okay?" On the right. Mist.

I give her a half-smile. "Yeah. I'm just...cranky."

"I can tell," she replies, grinning back, "Are yours really that bad?"

"YES. I'm dying, and I almost mean that literally."

She gives me a sympathy pat and sighs. "I'm sure in Gallia they'll have something. I had some back at the Fort, but I didn't want to add extra baggage."

"Which is smart. I'll be fine, Mist. But thanks for looking out for me."

"We're friends now though, aren't we? And what are friends for?"

Oooh. Corny. But sincere. I smile, and then with Oscar's help mount Denver.

"Are you really alright?" Oscar asks, concern plain on his face. Though not his eyes, which have yet to be seen, and therefore don't exist! Buha.

"Yep. I'm good!" Actually, terrible. Dreading the ride. Probably going to faint of combined pain. Tie me on, tie me on! "Come on! We're losing daylight!"

"My thoughts exactly."

"Let us not suffer from lethologica, Soren. Lethologica is bad."

I catch his glare in my peripheral vision before he turns away. Ha-HA! He probably doesn't even know what means, and therefore cannot come up with a suitable retort.

"You shouldn't goad him like that," Oscar comments, starting Denver into a trot. Bump, bump bump...Oh. My. Goddess. Distraction. Now.

Grit-grinning, I reply, "It's not like I said anything bad."

"'Lethologica?'"

Well, he's not in earshot. "'The inability to remember a word.'"

Oscar shakes his head.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Distractions

1. Hydrogen. 1.01. 2. Helium. 4.00. 3. Lithium. 6.94. 4. Beryllium. 9.01. 5. Boron. 10.8. 6. Carbon. 12.01. 7. Nitrogen. 14.01. 8. Oxygen. 16.00. 9. Fluorine. 19.00. 10. Neon. 20.18. 11. Sodium. 23.00. 12. Magnesium. 24.31. 13. Aluminum. 27.00. 14. Silicon. 28.10. 15. Phosphorus. 30.97. 16. Sulphur. 32.07. 17. Chlorine. 35.45. 18. Argon. 39.95. 19. Potassium. 39.10. 20. Calcium. 40.08.

And then I don't remember the average atomic masses of 21 onwards so...

21. Scandium. 22. Titanium. 23. Vanadium. 24. Chromium. 25. Manganese. 26. Iron, Fe! Ha. 27. Cobalt. 28. Nickel. 29. Copper. 30. Zinc. 31. Gallium. 32. Germanium. 33. Arsenic. 34. Selenium...

Damn, I should have started the 5 period. Silver is 47. Lead is 82. Gold is 79. Tin is 50.

New list. Path of Radiance Character recruitment order.

Ike. Oscar. Boyd. Titania. Rhys. Gatrie. Shinon. Soren. Mia. Then Shinon and Gatrie leave. Ilyana. Lethe. Mordecai. Brom. Kieran. Nepheenee. Volke! Oops. Zihark. Jill. Sothe? Astrid, and Gatrie comes back. Muarim. Tormod. Devdan. WAIT! Mist and Rolf become playable after Ilyana joins the party. Tanith. Reyson. Janaff. Ulki...

"...Sub-humans love 'em though."

Argh. "Laguz."

Shinon and Ike turn to me; the former cocking an eyebrow, the latter mildly surprised-looking.

"What? I pay attention." Sometimes.

"You haven't said anything in three hours."

"...Really?"

"Well," says Mist, "You've just sort of been staring into space the whole time."

"Like a retard."

"Shinon!"

"I call them like I see them."

Three hours...Hmm. System check! Sores? Tolerable. Cramps? Mild. Energy level? Normal. Therefore, I feel much better. The next wave will hopefully not come until we're out of danger.

I shrug. "I was distracting myself, but the cramps are gone, so I'm okay."

"Tch. You can't be day-dreaming when we're on the run. You'd be dead before you even realized there's an arrow between your eyes, moron."

Too true. "I wasn't very aware of my surroundings in any case, as I was unable to focus on anything but my pain. I probably would have been shot anyways." I look around. "Besides, the forest is rather dense."

"A half-decent archer could still feather you."

"I'm sure you'd shoot him first."

"Not to save you, idiot."

"Stop you're bickering!" I'm not bickering, Mist. "Anyways, Aly, what were you saying before? Something about 'laguz?'"

Change of topic to prevent argument escalation. Okay. "The proper term is 'laguz' when describing the people of Gallia, more specifically 'beast laguz.'"

"But what are these...beast laguz?" Ike.

"What? You mean to tell me you've never seen a beast-man before, pup?"

"No, never."

And so Shinon goes on to give his piece on laguz, as bias and prejudice as it is. Soren a bit less opinionated, but the contempt is obviously there. Racism, it's stupid and unnecessary. This one's probably born of fear and pride on the part of the beorc. Unable to live with such powerful neighbours, by justifying it as eliminating a future threat they attack and enslave an entire race for nearly 500 years, if I remember correctly. I believe slavery is wrong from all perspectives. Not only is it morally wrong, it is not as economically beneficial to the master race as they like to think. In fact, it is likely more costly, or at least less profitable, than hiring paid workers, even for the most unskilled work. But that mental rant is for later.

"Looks like you know even less than I gave you credit for, Ike, my boy."

"Hm...Perhaps."

"They would make great allies, though."

"Pah."

"What do you mean?" Mist asks, keeping the conversation going.

BECAUSE THEY'RE COOL. "Well, just from their physical abilities alone, they would be a welcome addition to any party. Heightened senses, high endurance, and ability to transform into a fearsome beast make them formidable. Regarding conventional beorc tactics, I'd classify the beast tribe members as cavalry units, for they are just as fast and deadly and much more capable. A Gallian unit would probably make for a good night raiding party as well, due to their night vision. A group of them charging the enemy will be as effective as a cavalry charge, if not more. The psychological effects would be great as well, as many parents use laguz as threats against their children, right? To have monsters right out of fairy tales running towards you bent on your death is intimidating, to say the least."

Strange looks. "Hmm?"

"You are very knowledgeable on warfare tactics for a merchant's daughter," Soren states. Little old suspicious me. Who do you think I am? Good thing I prepared for this one.

"My tutor had a broad knowledge base, saying he dabbled a bit in everything. On long journeys we played a sort of war board game, to past the time. He would beat me every time, but while we played he would describe real-world applications of certain tactics. I was quite taken by the subject."

Glare.

Oscar sighs, "Soren, she's not some sort of Daein spy about to stab us in the back. Could you try to be a bit friendly?"

"..." He glares a little more for good measure, then to Ike says, "A little farther, and we'll be out of these trees, Ike."

Even Shinon looks relieved. "Really? That means Gallia proper! Compared to this forest, even a kingdom of half-breeds will seem like heaven."

And then we'll meet Ranulf and his patrol. What to say? Of course there will be some formalities, as we are seeking refuge from King...Ca...Cain...Caineghis! Yes! Goodness, that's a hard name to spell. And say. CANE-ne-gus? Cane-NE-gus? Cane-gus? Is the "e" silent? How many syllables is this? Um, let's stick with King of Gallia. Yes, much safer. I sigh audibly, feeling my shoulders sag. What to do?

"What are you thinking of, Aly?"

Oscar. "What going to happen once we reach Gallia."

"Do you worry what will become of you?"

Huh? I look up, but Oscar's face is forward. "What do you mean?"

"I know Soren isn't the nicest guy, but that doesn't mean we're just going to leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere. Commander Greil would never allow it."

Oh! I guess the sigh was misinterpreted. "I understand."

Pause. "I really mean it, though. Greil would never do that. He one of the most compassionate men I've ever met."

Really? "Really?"

"Yes. He may come off a bit gruff, but Greil a very caring person. Even for strangers. I remember...I told you that I was a Crimean Knight-in-Training before I became a mercenary, right?"

"Mm-hm."

"But I didn't tell you why I left service. When I was younger, about eight years ago, our father suddenly collapses, and was bedridden. And then...his wife left. Rolf was just a baby then, and Boyd was so angry...as was I. I left the knighthood to take care of them, cooking, cleaning...but he still passed on. We spent the most of the little money he left to hire a priest to perform funeral rites, though we got by for a while on my knighthood money, I knew if I didn't find work we would starve. But I couldn't leave Boyd and Rolf alone, but couldn't hire anyone. My parents had only recently moved to the village as well, so we weren't familiar with the locals, and Boyd got into many fights during that time, probably to cope with the grief. No one would help us.

"About a month after the funeral, I went down to the market with Boyd and Rolf to sell Denver, hoping to make enough money to tide us over for a while longer. While I was talking with the merchant, Boyd started another fight, this time with a boy at the booth across the street. A blue-haired one. By the time I got to them, the fight was over. Boyd was crying and a large man was crouching in front of him.

"My brother caught sight of me, Rolf holding my hand. The man followed the gaze and turned to me. He looked me once over, then over, and stood up, walked promptly offered me a job as a mercenary."

"Just...like that?"

"That was my reaction. I couldn't believe it. And I told him that. He grinned though, and said that Boyd had told him the entire situation, and that a former Crimean knight was more than welcome to his group. He had one already, he said, and he was looking to expand. We would all be housed, fed, and paid, of course, though much less than a knight's pay. Willing to take in boys too, if they were willing to do some chores. He had kids the same age, and expected the same of them."

He looked back. "I couldn't refuse."

"Wow."

"Yeah," Oscar replies, facing forward again, "And I'm willing to bet that even if I hadn't been a knight, he still would have taken me in, and trained me like he did Boyd. So you don't need to worry. If you have nowhere to go, he'll take you in."

...I forgot devoted these people are to Greil. How much he's helped them all. Though it wasn't explicitly said, it's implied everywhere in the game. And he's going to die. Likely tonight. Oh Goddess. Oh. Goddess. But if he doesn't die, what will happen? He will probably support Elincia in her endeavour to regain the throne, and lead the entire venture...so basically, Greil would be the main character instead of Ike. Which would break the game, so to speak, since Greil is amazing. But it would also set the Black Knight upon us more heavily, at least. But if he's recognized, would Daein people join us? Likely scorn, as it was-um will be with Jill. Though he was a Rider, so would that be a different response? Aye-yah. I think...it would be better if he's stopped. Definitely. For everyone. It would merely be a fact of convincing him not to go out for a walk, right?

Woah! Inertia carries me forward as Denver stops. Physics. So much fun.

Looks like we've approached the edge of the forest. Time to split up, I guess. Tactics and groups are decided, and Greil gives a speech. I don't really feel a need to contribute to this one. Greil's not going to die. Yet. After Greil, Shinon, and Gatrie leave, we continue on. Eventually, we catch sight on the Daein soldiers. That's...quite a few.

Soren and Ike discuss. "There are two bridges, and the trees extend to the westernmost one. If we use the trees as cover, we could launch a surprise attack from there."

"We'll create a diversion then, right?"

"Correct, then the Princess and the others can cross while we have the enemy's attention."

Good. I start to dismount Denver, knowing I'm a part of "the others." Hopefully we won't be attacked, as I remember an archer, knight, and cavalier on that bridge. Though I can cast about 6 spells now before needing to sit down for a while, and casting time is about 5 seconds, eyes open. Still much too long to be a combatant, but still. Getting better! Elincia gets shot down by Ike for her participation in the battle. Okay then!

"Mist! Rolf! Take care of the princess and Aly. Do not let yourselves be seen!"

" 'kay, Brother!"

"Leave it to us! Let's go, Princess! Aly!"

I hurry after them into the dense bush, alongside Elincia.

We follow Mist and Rolf through forest, creeping low. Miraculously, Elinica's dress remains completely unhindered by the surrounding thicket. I mean, really. How could that plume of a dress not get caught in jutting branches and such? Maybe it has magical protection in which repels burs and turns away pokey twigs attempting to hook themselves into the bright, orange fabric…The colour still somewhat bothers me, from a tactical standpoint. It's the colour of traffic pylons, this dress. It is meant to be seen at far distances. Not good for sneaking around. Focus!

But the Mercs are doing a good job as a distraction. A great commotion is being raised at the opposite bridge, and from the snatches of soldiers we see the enemy is migrating in the opposite direction of us. Eventually we arrive near the bridge. I feel for my magic source, calling it to the front of my mind. It saves me a second during casting, akin to placing your hand on a sword's hilt.

Mist halts the group. "Okay guys. We're going to have to make a run for it. As soon as we finish crossing, head into the trees on the left." After receiving a nod from everyone, she pops her head up and looks around. "Coast's clear. Go!"

We burst out of the bush, and sprint for the bridge. Blood's pumping in my head. Please let us not be seen…

A horse gallop from behind! "Hey you! Halt!"

We stop, and turn around. A black-armoured cavalier rides swiftly towards us. Shit. ShitshitshitshitSHIT.

"RUN!"

Aw, damn it. Obviously we can't outrun a HORSE. So it will have to be taken down. Well, I am at the back. Problem: Armour. Solution: Horse has none.

While everyone begins to run again, I turn around, calling up a wind spell. Call, shape, channel…

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Shhh...concentrating...eyebrows furrow.

One gallop away from me, I point my arm at the horse's left leg and release my spell, diving to the right. Don't land on me...

The blade slices through the horse, easily cutting through bone, flesh and tendon of the leg. It screams, blending with the rider's shouts and the pounding in my head and ears, and then crashes to the ground, blood spurting out its stump. The cavalier is still yelling, trapped under his horse. Damn it. He'll draw the rest of them to us.

I swiftly get up and race towards the fallen horse, calling a spell quickly. Be careful of the kicking. Rider's dropped his weapon during fall. Low risk.

Still shouting, the soldier and I make eye contact. His eyes widen. Now.

The spell is sloppy, but carries itself with enough force to cut halfway through his neck. Blood sprays out. The screaming stops, degenerating to watery gurgles. Good. There's no time. I turn and rush across the bridge. Don't slip on the blood. There's no time. The enemy could be upon us at any moment.

I killed someone.

...

But there's no time for that! Focus!

First, rejoin the group. I dive into the forest once more, and then make my way to Mist and company. They all stare at me, dumbfounded. At least they ran into the bush before going into shock. Can't have them out in the opening, standing like...sitting ducks...that was terrible. Heh.

"Aly..." Mist starts.

"The rider was going to catch us if he wasn't dealt with, and I only started learning magic a few days ago, so I knew I couldn't cast a strong enough spell to go through the armour. Therefore, I took horse. I killed him because he was making a ruckus, and if the enemy heard him we would be found out. I did what I had to do."

"Aly, you're shaking." Really, Rolf?

I look down at my hands, which seem to have developed a noticeable tremor. Damn. I curl them into tight fists and shove them to my side. Rejoin the group. Then continue to safe location.

"I'm fine. We have to keep moving!" I say, trying to sound upbeat. I listen for a moment. "The fighting seems to be calming down a bit. We have to meet up with everyone else. Then everything will be alright. Mist?"

She still looks worried, but sets her expression and nods. "We have to get back to Ike."

And so we creep through the forest once more. After we reunite with the main group, we complete our journey to Gallia, likely without any future attacks, though nothing's certain. Once we enter the country proper, Ike and the rest of the combatants will backtrack to find Greil while our group continues on to the Castle. Best case scenario is that we are shortly found by Ranulf party, whom come to Ike's aid at the abandoned fort. Worst case is that we are once again attacked, by a group of Daein soldiers instead of just one. If one of that party is an archer...Maybe I'll request a person to accompany us? But that would reduce Ike's force, and he'll definitely need all the help he can get when that battle comes. Well, Elincia can wield a sword I'm sure. And Rolf...

"Brother!"

Rejoined group. First objective achieved. Next, make contact with Gallian patrol.

"Mist! Rolf, Aly, Princess. Are you all well?"

"Well..."

"I'm good." I clasp my hands behind my back. I'll deal with this later.

"You didn't run into any trouble, did you?" asks Titania, looking concerned. She looking at my feet. Following her gaze, I see small blood spots near the hem of my cloak. Huh.

Elincia reports the events. "A cavalier spotted us, but Miss Aly cripple his horse and...incapacitated him."

All eyes turn to me. Damn. "I severed his horse's leg and silenced the rider because he was giving away our position. I may be untrained, but I did what I could to protect the Princess."

The Mercs look surprised, to say the least. Not important right now. We have to find the patrol. Get to safety. "In any case, we're in Gallia now! Hopefully there'll be no more trouble, right?"

"Yeah!" declares Mist, "We're safe now. You know, I thought it'd feel different, but it doesn't."

"It's a bit too earlier to celebrate," comments Soren, "The commander has yet to rejoin us."

"Father...Shinon...Gatrie..."

He's so going. "So, what next?" I ask. Speed things up a little.

"...Princess, I'm afraid we part ways here."

Puzzled, Elincia replies, "What do you mean by that?"

"We're going back to aid our companions. So I want you to continue with Mist, Rolf, and Aly to the royal palace of Gallia."

"But Brother!" exclaims Mist, "Father told us to escort the Princess the ENTIRE way. And you'll probably only get into more trouble by going back!" Too true, Mist. Too true.

"Mist, I have to do this, in order everyone out alive!"

"Father is stronger than you though! Shinon and Gatrie too!"

"But there's only the three of them against Daein. Father and I will catch up with you right away, promise."

"...Nothing I say is going to change your mind, right?"

"No, but don't worry. We'll be alright and with you before you know it. Have Father or I ever broken a promise to you?"

"...No. But don't do anything stupid!"

Ike makes a dramatic gesture over his chest. "Cross my heart."

Mist rolls her eyes, and then to Titania says, "Please take care of my brother, will you?"

"Of course," she responses, an amused smile playing on her lips.

Rolf speaks to his brothers off to the side, as does Elincia and Rhys. Come on, come on! Let's go already! I sway from side to side, transferring weight from one foot to another. I tuck my hair behind my ears. I'm glad Mist cut it a few days ago. It was dark, but I'm sure it's fine, as long as it's hard to grab. It's short in the back, but longer in the front, because she said I'd look like a boy if it was all one short length. I take a jet black strand between my fingers. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5...

"Entertained?"

To my right is Soren, pointedly not looking at me and observing the scene.

"No, not particularly. Waiting for us to get going."

"Eager to be alone with the Princess again?" Mental sigh.

"Mist and Rolf are there too."

"If you're a skilled mage, it wouldn't be too hard to overpower them."

I sigh aloud. "Soren, if I wanted to kill the Princess, it would have been way back when I was alone with her in the grove. Or at night while others were sleeping. Or today, by just allowing the Daein soldier to run her through. And look at the situation. Why would I come all the way to Gallia if that were my intention? It would leave me on the run within Gallian borders, whose regent is," because it is not yet known King Ramon is dead, "a friend of King Ramon, from what I've heard. To murder the Princess would set him upon me, and I'd likely not make it out of the country alive."

I turn to him, "And besides, Daein took my parents away from me." Somewhat true, as I'd likely not be here if there was no war, I think, and Daein started this war. "Why would I want to help them?"

"In exchange for your parents." He faces me now, blood red eyes boring into mine. Albinism!

"Tch. Like I'd trust them in the slightest. They'd probably kill me too."

Which is backed up by my earlier statement of mistrust from the tactics meeting five days prior. Ample opportunity not taken has also been supported. Win. Beat that!

A pause follows but it doesn't last long, as Mist signals me and the rest of our group. Finally!

Speaking to Ike, Mist says, "All right, we're going now. You better come back with Father!"

"Promise. Watch your step, and be careful."

"Same to you, Brother." Then she addresses us. "Time to go! Let's get moving!"

Off to Gallia! Oh wait, we're here already. We're off to see the King! The wonderful King-y of Gallia...hehehehe...terrible.

Author's Note:

Oh my goodness, that was a longer than I expected, but so much fun to write!

And. *sigh* While looking up other FE fics, I found I have a very similar name to other story. Oh well. It's the only title I could think of! Maop.

So Aly has killed her first person (and horse) but has pushed it to the back of her mind for the time being. She'll experience the shock later, but will try to delay it to a more convenient time.

Mist and Oscar also get some more development. Mist is less whiny in my story than in POR, because I think it makes more sense. She been living with the knowledge that her family's work could easily lead to their deaths, so I don't think she'd be so immature. Probably more supportive and responsible than the usual 15-year old, as that is her age in this story. For those who are interested:

Rolf – 14

Boyd – 18

Oscar – 23 (He'll have a birthday by the time he meets Janaff)

Ike – 18

Rhys – 27

Titania – 30

Shinon – 27

And Aly is 17. I haven't decided the ages of Gatrie or Greil yet, but Greil is probably around 7-10 years older than Titania.

In any case, hope you've enjoyed the fic so far, and reviews and comments would be very appreciated!


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